The Ukranian
by MillionMoments
Summary: Richard's parents have some information for him that manages to complete blind side him. Richard/Camile


Title: The Ukrainian

Rating: K+

Category: Family, Richard/Camille, Angst, Humour

Summary: Richard's parents have some information for him that manages to complete blindside him.

A/N: I know that I have a couple of stories that are on the go, but I also have a hell of a lot of other stories in my head like this one. I actually intended this to be a one-shot, but it seems to have taken on a life of its own and I am now envisaging a multiple chapter affair…As usual, Richard's parents may or may not bear resemblance to the versions I have written in other stories.

* * *

Chapter One: The Unexpected

"I could drive you know," Camille offered. "That way you could talk to your parents instead of having to concentrate on driving."

The look she received in response indicated that Richard was perfectly aware that her offer was not entirely altruistic – and he was right. She was very curious about the parents of a man who remained a bit of an enigma to her. Camille suspected that unless she made it her business to meet them, Richard would do everything in his power to keep them away from her and the rest of the team.

"Well," She began, deciding to try another tack. "You should bring them to my Mother's for dinner. When I mentioned they were coming she was quite keen for the opportunity to cook for them."

He frowned, which was not the response Camille was hoping for, "Why would she _want_ to cook for them?"

Camille gave a small shrug, "Well, she wants them to have a good impression of the island! At least that is what she would probably say if asked. I actually think it's about making sure they get the impression you're well looked after here."

"You almost make it sound like your mother likes me," he joked.

Camille shook her head, mildly exasperated as his self-deprecation. "Actually she has gotten quite fond of you Richard," She told him gently. "I think she'd half way to adopting you."

"Oh," he said, clearly a little embarrassed by her revelation. "Well, I was going to bring them there for tea – it is the only place on the island where you can get a decent cup."

"Good!" She said, unable to keep the smile off her face. "I guess I'll see you later then."

* * *

Richard still hadn't quite figured out why his parents were flying out here. His Dad had sounded oddly ardent when he rang to express his desire to come see him on Saint Marie. Kept going on about how he wanted to see where his son was living, and named several places he and his mother wanted to visit simply because Richard had mentioned them. Richard hadn't been aware that he had described Saint Marie with the sort of detail that could inspire people to visit. More alarmingly, he seemed to want to meet every person he had ever mentioned as well. He knew this would please Camille, who had been dropping hints about being introduced ever since he had casually dropped his parent's upcoming vacation into conversation the week previously. Anyone would think she was his girlfriend angling for an invitation home. That particular thought gave him a very strange feeling in his stomach, so he immediately pushed it aside.

When his parents came through security, Richard got the embarrassing hug he expected from his mother – who immediately started to asking if he'd been eating properly and taking his vitamins. Perhaps he should take Catherine up on her offer, ask her to cook Roast Beef to alleviate his mother's fears. His father's greeting was a little more sober, though for a moment Richard thought the older man might actually be about to hug him as well. He certainly looked…emotional. Now the seed of an idea had been planted in his head, and Richard began to worry there was more to this trip than a simple holiday and visit.

Richard hadn't planned to bring them to Catherine's that night, he thought they would be tired and want to go straight to the hotel. However both his parents expressed an intense desire for a cup of tea, and he felt he should probably get them a decent one.

Catherine was appropriately enthusiastic when they arrived. A quick glance around revealed the rest of his team were not currently present. There was hope he could get his Mum and Dad out of here before they arrived (if they were planning to) and therefore put off awkward introductions for another day.

After Catherine and his parents exchanged some, rather lengthy, pleasantries she turned and sashayed off to the kitchen to presumably prepare their tea. His father watched her walk away with a half bemused look on his face and commented, "Gosh, she's very French isn't she?"

"Derek!" His Mother instantly chided. In order to avoid getting into trouble himself, Richard was forced to just give his Dad a significant look to indicate his agreement. This was a subject they could bond over at least.

"It's quite pleasant in here though," his father commented. Richard thought he was just saying it to placate his mother, but then noticed he was looking around keenly. "Very relaxing, a lot how I imagined it."

"It would be more pleasant if they always had milk," he mumbled in response, and now it was his turn to be chided.

"Oh Richard, why do you always have to be so negative?" She asked with a little sigh.

"Sorry, Mum." For some reason, the use of this address caused his parents to share a significant look. He suddenly had an idea of what might be coming.

They waited until after Catherine had dropped off the tea, then turned to him looking terribly serious. Out of the corner of his eye, Richard noticed Camille arriving – oh what perfect timing. She must have seen something on his face though, or perhaps those of his parents, because she didn't approach.

"Now Richard, Darling, there is something we have to tell you," his mother began. "We think it's best to do so now, at the start of our trip, because it might come as a bit of a shock but we are hoping we'll all be able to work through it together whilst we are still here."

"Right," he said, because he didn't really know what else to say.

His Dad cleared his throat to continue, "Well, son, there isn't really an easy way to say this. Your Mother and I were unable to have children, and you are adopted."

"Oh, it was that!" Richard cried, feeling relieved. His reaction made no sense to his parents, who looked at him like he had perhaps misheard.

"Sorry, Richard, perhaps you misunderstood. We felt it was time you knew that we are not your biological parents, we adopted you."

"Oh I know!" he said, perhaps a little more cheerfully than appropriate. "Mum, Dad, honestly – do you think I could make it to Detective Inspector without finding such a thing out? I mean, the police do rather expect you to prove who you are when you apply!"

"But, but we told you we lost your birth certificate!" His mother protested, as if that should have prevented him from finding out somehow.

"Well, actually, that was the first thing that made me suspicious. You never lose anything Mum, I mean I think I could ask you for the essay I won a prize for in English in Year 6 and you'd know exactly where it was. I went to the registry office and tried to get a copy and when they couldn't find it, a very nice lady gave me a leaflet about adoption. The people in student registration at Hendon were quite understanding actually, managed to get my actual adoption certificate so I was still able to join up."

His Dad looked surprised, and also a little impressed, but his Mum seemed quite upset, "You mean you've known for years? Oh Richard, why did you never say anything?"

That was a good question really, and it was hard to form an answer. He gave a shrug, "Well, I didn't really want to make a fuss. I mean, I was a little upset you hadn't just told me but I read some books in the library that said you probably just wanted to ensure I felt…normal. I, um, well, you're still my parents – that didn't change, did it?"

His Mother promptly burst into tears, leaving both her husband and son staring at her with alarm. Catherine suddenly appeared at the table, shooting him a stern look and crying, "Richard, what did you say to her?" She offered his mother some tissues, whilst he squirmed in his seat. Then he remembered he wasn't actually 100% at fault.

"Hey, why are you assuming I said something?" He complained. He turned to his Dad, hoping the man would back him up, but with a jolt realised his father also wasn't entirely dry eyed.

"Oh, no, it isn't his fault. I am just being silly and emotional!" His Mother reassured Catherine. After the French woman had left, his mother turned to him and said, "Oh I'm so glad you're okay with it Richard. I was so afraid you would be angry and hate us!"

"Yes, well, no need to worry," He told, doing his best to sound comforting. "Unless of course you only flew all this way to tell me that, because then you might have wasted some money!" he joked weakly. He lost the forced smile instantly when it suddenly occurred to him that after 44 years his parents had decided to tell him he was adopted, and there didn't seem to be an obvious reason as to why.

"Why are you telling me this now?" He asked, as serious as they had been ten minutes earlier.

His parents seemed to have rehearsed this conversation already, as his father cleared his throat and addressed his son, "Well, you see, I have a hereditary form of Macular Degeneration."

"You're going to lose your sight?" Richard asked for confirmation.

"Yes, over the next couple of years, I am Son. It's another reason I wanted to take this trip and see you in person, and see where you are living – whilst I still can." Everything was starting to make sense now. When his Dad had expressed a wish to see where Richard was living, the people he worked with - he was being quite literal. Well, it had taken Richard a stupidly long time to appreciate how beautiful Saint Marie was, but he got the feeling his Dad would get there a lot faster.

His Mother took up the explanation, "We knew that when we told you that your first reaction would be to do loads of research into it, and well, we thought you might worry you were going to get it as well. We wanted to save you that concern."

"Oh, well, I'm sorry Dad." It didn't feel like necessarily the right thing to say, but what else could he say?

His father gave a small smile and said, "Oh, don't worry, I've quite come to terms with it. Truth be told, I think I'd rather lose my sight than my hearing. Imagine not being able to listen to Bach anymore. Plus this way I don't have to watch your mother age anymore."

"Derek!" She cried again, slapping him on the arm with mock indignation. Richard could tell that it was not the first time his Dad had made the joke, and that his mother wasn't really mad at him. "Just for that, when you lose your site I am going to replace your bottles of bitter at random with ones of sparkling elderflower."

His Father huffed, and Richard added, "Some people could consider that torture, Mum…"

"Oh, go on then, take your Father's side why don't you!" She continued her feigned indignation. "Maybe I should have left you in the Ukraine."

Richard frowned, puzzled by her words, "You took me to the Ukraine? I must have been very small, I don't remember that at all. One of the diplomacy trips was it?"

"No, Darling! Well, yes to the diplomacy trip that is why your Father and I were there, but the Ukraine is where we adopted you from."

* * *

Camille had tried not to stare outright, but the interactions between Richard and his parents were quite frankly gripping. Ever since she had arrived it had been a roller coaster of emotions on various faces, and she wished she could just go over and find out what was going on. She had refrained from doing so when she first arrived because they had looked so serious – she was not the sort of person who would disturb personal family matters. Then Richard had seemed to relax after his parents finished talking, and she guessed whatever news they had told him could not be so bad. Well, that was until his mother burst into rather noisy tears. She had just decided to go over and see if there was anything she could do to help when her mother beat her to it. Everything did seem fine again briefly, but then they got all serious again. She was sure this was not normal for a family reunion. Luckily, they were currently all looking relaxed again.

That was, until Richard shouted loud enough for the whole bar to hear, "WHAT DO YOU MEAN I'M UKRAINIAN?"

* * *

Richard calmed himself down relatively quickly – the look of alarm on his Mother's face was enough to force him to do so. They had then taken him through the whole story. Richard had then attempted to tell him that everything was fine – he had never been a consummate actor though and suspected his parents were slightly suspicious he was not as 'fine' as he was insisting. And they would be bloody right about that.

He had dropped them off at the hotel and escaped home to sit on his porch feeling sorry for himself. He watched as Harry dashed back and forth along the railing, catching insects and oblivious to his suffering. He was, after all, just a lizard and thus immune to issues concerning adoptions. He was tempted to try and talk through things with Harry anyway, but the little lizard wasn't going to have any advice and he didn't think it would make it clearer in his own mind either.

Despite the lateness of the hour, Camille appeared on his porch. His immediate reaction was annoyance and anger, "Oh Christ, could you not have waited until tomorrow before you starting butting in?"

She looked hurt for a moment, before schooling her features – but he still regretted his words. "Actually," she began, a slight hint of acid in her tone. "I just wanted to make sure you were ok, you did seem upset. You don't have to tell me anything if you don't want to."

"Sorry," he mumbled. For a second he thought she was going to make him repeat it louder, but she must have decided it would do for the time being, so he continued, "I'm fine, thanks."

"Right, well, I don't think you're going to fool anyone with that face but hey, if that's what you want, I'll be on my way."

"Uh," He said, realising he quite wanted her to stay but had no excuse to keep her there. She paused, seemingly willing to give him time to think of something. "My Dad is really keen to see the volcano!" He managed to recall this fact from a phone conversation he'd had with his Dad when the man had been reading the Saint Marie guide book.

Camille seemed really quite pleased by this, "Well it's quite the climb, but Jason does tours and could get you quite far up in his jeep. So you'll be finally seeing it as well?"

"Yeah, I guess," he was hoping she was going to offer to go with them – but he got the feeling she was going to make him ask. "My Dad wants to do a lot of stuff before he loses his sight."

"Oh my God!" She cried, reminding him that she didn't actually know that yet. Camille wore a look of genuine sympathy on her face – something he struggled to understand since she had never met the man before. Women were just so much better at feelings and things like that. He could also see she was struggling to understand what this might have to do with his earlier outburst in the bar. He supposed he might as well tell her the whole story.

"Yeah, they told me this evening. It's hereditary…" He paused when she gave a little gasp, clearly fearing the worst for him. Also something he didn't understand – even if macular degeneration lay in his future it wasn't going to affect her, was it? Yet the way she looked at him now you would think she intended to actually still be around him in 25 years or so. "Oh no, it won't affect me. I'm adopted you see."

"Ohhh…" She said, probably finally understanding the earlier events. She sat down next to him. "They only told you today?"

"Yes," he said, miserably. "Though I've known for over twenty years."

Camille had intended to say something comforting, but Richard's admission he had already known he was adopted threw her completely. She was starting to understand why she had been so unable to figure out what was going on between him and his parent's earlier. She withdrew the hand she had been about to place comfortingly on his arm, and instead said rather lamely, "Oh, um, so you're ok with it?"

"Well I was!" He said. "But that was before I found out I am not in fact English, but was picked up on a diplomatic trip to the Ukraine!"

Camille had to make an effort not to actively frown. She couldn't understand how somebody could be perfectly willing to accept they were adopted, but get upset when they found out exactly where from. Richard might, on occasion, say something a little derogatory about the French but it was largely in jest – she had never believed he had a serious issue with any nationality.

"How did that happen?" She queried, wondering if the objection was more in the methods of his adoption.

"When my Father was in Kiev he brought my Mother with him. My Mum is a nurse and went to a hospital with a charity to volunteer. She met a woman there who had just had me, but was dying of TB. She begged my Mum to take me back to the UK with her and by that time Mum already knew she and Dad couldn't have kids…They made a generous donation to the Ukrainian authorities who gave them the necessary paperwork to take me back with them."

Camille was surprised to find herself getting a little teary, "Oh, that poor woman! That's so sad!"

"It is a bit, isn't it?" He said, as if it had only just occurred to him – knowing Richard that was actually a distinct possibility.

"Is that what upset you? Knowing your biological mother died?"

She could read from the expression on his face that was not the case. "Well, it was more about just turning out not to be English," He admitted hesitantly, as if he already realised this sounded a little silly given the circumstances.

Camille was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt, since he had had a bit of a shock, "I don't think DNA is what makes you English, Richard."

He didn't look entirely convinced, but before she could launch another argument he asked suddenly, "If you aren't, um, busy maybe you'd like to come with us to the volcano?" Such an abrupt change in conversation, and the fact he had asked directly rather than just hinting, could only mean he desperately didn't want to talk about it anymore.

"Of course," she agreed, because what else could she do.

"Well, anyway, thanks for checking on me. There was no need really." Well, clearly she was being dismissed. She accepted it graciously though, standing and gathering her things. Before she left she peered into his face, and knew one thing for certain.

Richard Poole defiantly had an issue with not being English.

* * *

A/N: If you'll excuse me, I now need to read up about the Ukraine…


End file.
